Marketing & Sales Toolkit

This Toolkit contains resources in the following categories. Note: Some resources appear in multiple categories.

Do you have a resource to add to this Toolkit? Please contact us!

Choosing Sales Channels

Learn how to strategically think about the challenges and opportunities within each marketing channel.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Info Sheet
Basic strategy, comparison of different sales channels, how to price competitively, and creating a brand.


Source: Wisconsin Department of Agriculture | Type: Reference
Creating a marketing strategy and deciding the best sales channels to fit your operation.


Source: Cornell University, Cooperative Extension | Type: Reference
Helps new farmers think about the pros and cons of wholesale and direct market channels.


Source: ATTRA | Type: Reference
Tips, advantages and considerations in choosing a marketing channel, including farmers markets, institutions, restaurants and wholesale.

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Pricing Your Product

Resources to improve your pricing strategy, better track sales, and assess the profitability of each marketing channel.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Reference
Basic tips to improve your pricing strategy, competitively price your products, and track sales.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Calculator/Wizard
Loosely adapted from Richard Wiswalls’ popular book The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook, this simple worksheet helps you quickly calculate your required daily sales at each farmers market to break even.


Source: VT New Farmer Project | Type: Webinar
Basics of pricing your products, how to calculate your break-even point, and how to adjust your prices without losing your customers. Registration required.


Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison | Type: Calculator/Wizard
Calculates cost of production for each crop and the profitability of each market channel.


Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison | Type: Reference
Complete user guide for the online financial management tool: Veggie Compass.

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Wholesale Marketing & Sales

Learn the ins and outs of wholesale marketing, including regulations, produce pack standards, and the obstacles and opportunities in regional supply chains.

Wholesale Success
Source: FamilyFarmed.org | Type: Reference
Best practices in food safety, postharvest handling, and packing, including calculating ROI and traceability. Order hardcopy - $70


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Reference
Tips to pack your product safely, inexpensively, and sustainably, including leads on box and supply companies referred by our farmer community.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Info Sheet
Easy reference chart with specific crops and their standard pack weights, measurements, and materials to use in distribution.


Source: NCAT/ATTRA | Type: Reference
Profiles of growers from around the country illustrate successful strategies and points to remember when working with chefs, including good communication, reliable delivery, and professional invoicing.


Source: VT New Farmer Project | Type: Webinar
Determining whether selling to a restaurant is a good idea for your farm. Registration required.


Source: FamilyFarmed.org | Type: Software Tool
Free, easy-to-use online tool, which generates customized on-farm food safety plans based on user input. The tool is based on GAP standards, and intended for small and mid-scale produce growers, providing complete record-keeping to document individual food safety programs and to provide training to employees.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Reference
Basics about why the PTI was developed and what labels are required for your product, including a Q&A with service provider Top 10 Produce on their labeling solutions program.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Reference
Stakeholders from across the supply chain revealed systemic obstacles and some promising solutions for improved regional produce distribution.

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Direct Marketing & Sales

Guides and resources to help you profitably (and legally) sell your product directly to consumers, including farmers markets, farm stands and community-supported agriculture (CSAs).


Source: Wallace Center | Type: Reference
Comprehensive guide for beginning to sell at the farmers markets, including tips on what to know before you begin, choosing a market, finding your niche, and understanding your competition.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Calculator/Wizard
Loosely adapted from Richard Wiswalls’ popular book The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook, this simple worksheet helps you quickly calculate your required daily sales at each farmers market to break even.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Reference
Basic tips to improve your pricing strategy, competitively price your products, and track sales.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Reference
Basics of mobile point-of-sale (POS) systems, recommendations on the best systems on the market, and options to increase your customer base with recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT).


Source: Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) | Type: Webinar
Video webinar covering in-depth strategies to increase farmers market sales, including product placement, time management, and signage.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Checklist
Simple checklist of common farmers market supplies to bring for your market stall.


Source: UVM Extension | Type: Reference
Tips for creating a visually inviting, abundant and customer-friendly market stand to attract more customers and increase sales.


Source: Colorado State University Extension | Type: Reference
Quick tips on how to avoid contamination and properly clean and sanitize equipment, surfaces, and your hands during market sampling.


Source: Growing for Market | Type: Reference
Quick reference of safety and security issues at a farmers market, including using canopy weights, hiding electrical cords, and keeping your cash safe.


Source: Farmers Market Coalition | Type: Reference
Guide to understand basic policies, what those policies cover, and how to guarantee you are purchasing a policy that provides the right coverage.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Reference
Tips to pack your product safely, inexpensively, and sustainably, including leads on box and supply companies referred by our farmer community.


Source: NCAT/ATTRA | Type: Reference
Guide for farmers market organizers on how to develop, promote, structure and evaluate a new farmers market, including do-it-yourself worksheets and examples of surveys, SWOT analysis, and customer evaluations.

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Branding

Tips to improve your brand strategy, increase your customer base, and outshine your competitors.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Reference
Basic tips to create a brand, such as building a vision, identifying your core audience and competitors, and creating an elevator pitch.


Source: Sell What You Sow | Type: Reference
Extensive list of marketing tips to increase brand awareness, including how to test your market, diversify your products, and utilize word of mouth marketing.


Source: University of Missouri Extension | Type: Reference
Detailed guide discussing four types of branding strategy for value-added products: completely new product, new brand within an existing company brand category, slightly new product in existing brand category, and using an existing brand name to support a company's entry into a new, but related, product category.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Reference
Basics about why the PTI was developed and what labels are required for your product, including a Q&A with service provider Top 10 Produce on their labeling solutions program.

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Online Marketing

Strategies to help you improve your website and better utilize web-based marketing and social media.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Reference
Recommendations for creating or re-launching an eye-catching website, including the power of simplicity, layering content, using imagery, and making it mobile-friendly.


Source: Good Egg Marketing | Type: Reference
Worksheet to help you strategically think about your website, including questions about your goals, audience, and content style.


Source: Ohio Farm Bureau | Type: Reference
Guide to using and creating a marketing strategy using different social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.


Source: CSA Solutions Hub | Type: Reference
47 tips for CSA farms to increase marketing reach, including Google reviews, Google Adwords, and Yelp.

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Value-added Products

Tools to increase revenue with value-added products, including how to assess their profitability and the legalities around this type of enterprise.


Source: NCAT/ATTRA | Type: Reference
A beginner’s guide to the concept of a value-add enterprise, including the difference between creating and capturing value, various approaches to adding value, and tips on adding value to non-food items.


Source: SSAWG & ATTRA | Type: Reference
Detailed success stories of fourteen farmers offering value-added products directly to consumers. Best practices include good record keeping, planning and evaluation, and building long-term relationships with customers.


Source: Penn State | Type: Reference
Considerations before starting a value-added dairy enterprise, including choosing a product, understanding the resources available for the new venture, and assessing the profitability of your options.


Source: Farm Commons | Type: Webinar
Webinar discussing the legalities of adding a value-add component to your business including employment laws, liability potential, state/federal regulations, and taxes.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Info Sheet
Basics to establish a cottage food operation: definition, approved foods, registering your operation, food safety and labeling requirements.


Source: University of Missouri Extension | Type: Reference
Detailed guide discussing four types of branding strategy for value-added products: completely new product, new brand within an existing company brand category, slightly new product in existing brand category, and using an existing brand name to support a company's entry into a new, but related, product category.


Source: SARE | Type: Reference
Farmer success stories in direct marketing, including tips on value-add, agritourism, CSA/co-ops, pick-your-own/farm stands, season extension, and restaurant sales.

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Agritourism & Other Revenue Streams

Guides and resources to help you successfully develop agritourism elements to your business and other revenue streams to consider.


Source: FarmsReach | Type: Reference
Tips to consider before adding agritourism programs to your business, including time commitment, writing a business plan, and studying the local competition.


Source: UC Small Farm Program | Type: Reference
Compiled resources from the UC Small Farm Program Agritourism Intensive Workshops conducted Winter 2015-2016. Includes 2009 survey results of agritourism operators, business planning & management, marketing, permits & regulations, and more. (Scroll down page to access links.)


Source: Agri-Business Council of Oregon | Type: Reference
Comprehensive, nuts-and-bolts workbook to help you determine which agritourism model is right for you, including an inventory checklist, legal considerations, and special permits. Written for the state of Oregon, but applicable to farmers everywhere.


Source: UC ANR | Type: Reference
Comprehensive guide to building an agritourism marketing strategy, including tips to differentiate your operation, increase sales, and utilize online marketing.


Source: Farm Commons | Type: Reference
Guide to complying with laws regarding on-farm events, including disability accommodations, food service regulations, tax permits, insurance, and injuries.


Source: SARE | Type: Reference
Farmer success stories in direct marketing, including tips on value-add, agritourism, CSA/co-ops, pick-your-own/farm stands, season extension, and restaurant sales.


Source: UC ANR | Type: Directory
Add your agritourism event, activity or general farm visit information to the UC ANR consumer-focused directory of "farmers and ranchers that invite you to visit, learn, taste and enjoy!" Listings are free.

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